Azzurra Show Practice Race Form But Platoon Take the Gun

As they do more often than not Azzurra yielded to superstition and bypassed the finish line of today’s official practice race for the second regatta of the 52 SUPER SERIES, Costa Smeralda’s Settimana delle Bocche. Instead of taking the gun Azzurra passed the line and with that delivered the practice race win to Harm Muller-Spreer German flagged team on Platoon who, predictably, marched across the line to take the win.

Beliefs of good luck, bad luck or just indifference may be important in different ways to different teams, but with the pressure is on Azzurra, the home team favourites, racing on their own waters where they have yet to win a 52 SUPER SERIES regatta. Today the crew lead by Guillermo Parada and Vasco Vascotto were taking no chances. They had read the shifting breeze best and had a good lead over Platoon when they approached the finish and pulled away. But it proved that all is good on board the team which race in the hosts’ colours, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

The second regatta of the 52 SUPER SERIES, which has attracted nine TP52s, encompasses one of the renowned club’s most famous regatta weeks:

The Settimana delle Bocche was the first regatta that the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda organized and hosted back in 1972,Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore

said the YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo.

I’m especially proud that this event is part of the 52 SUPER SERIES, the top racing circuit that our boat Azzurra competes in. In welcoming all the competitors I can’t help saying that I hope our team will put on a good show here in the Costa Smeralda.Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore

Although today’s practice race was marked by a big wind shift, there seems to be the prospect of good breezes right through the week. In recent years Costa Smeralda has often dealt the TP52 fleet too much or too little wind, but there are high hopes that a full programme of races can be completed. Provezza’s Spanish navigator Nacho Postigo – who has been racing in the TP52 fleet since 2005 and won in 2006 – evaluates the possible conditions:

There is still very high pressure dominating the north of Europe what that means is that by the middle and towards the end of the week we are going to have SE’ly gradients which will come in at 15kts and how that will mix with the sea breeze effect, will it enhance or cancel the other is what we will wait to see. Sometimes what the heat does is help the wind aloft come down to the surface and it gets stronger. Some of the times it can conflict. Tomorrow will be like today with a little bit of NW’ly flow, maybe fighting with the sea breeze. It was very tricky on the race track today. But this year we will start with two days of lighter winds but after that it will be very good.Nacho Postigo, navigator, Provezza

Postigo, like many others, is relishing the two or three coastal races which are on the plan this week, enjoying how it puts the navigators in the hot seat:

This is just the best place in the world to do coastal races.Nacho Postigo, navigator, Provezza

The scenery is just fantastic, even if we don’t see it. But it is always very tricky to predict what the wind is going to do at the next corner, where the rocks are, and how close we can go. There are always a lot of questions and answers in Costa Smeralda. Sometimes it makes a real difference how close you can get to the rocks, especially when you are upwind or downwind and you can tack or gybe clear of them just because you can go another couple of boat lengths closer to the shore. That can make a big difference.Nacho Postigo, navigator, Provezza

Azzurra are out to improve their record on home waters. Quantum Racing, the 2014 52 SUPER SERIES champions have won two from three since 2012. Azzurra won in 2013 ahead of Quantum Racing. But their owner-helm Doug DeVos only set eyes on his new 2015 boat for the first time today and built his first two hours helm time prior to and during the practice race. Of course he was a real time observer during last month’s Valencia regatta and was in regular contact with son Dalton who steered, but that is of very limited practical use. But, as ever, DeVos is as highly competitive and motivated as he always is, winning and losing with the same smile. Terry Hutchinson was also on Day1 with the new boat today, paying tribute to the input and continuity from strategist Ado Stead:

Doug is just two hours into sailing this boat and I am just eight hours into it.Terry Hutchinson, Quantum Racing

Cautioned Hutchinson who did not sail in Valencia,

The fleet is more compressed now and it is fun sailing the new boats. There is a lot to learn. It is a big challenge and that is the fun part of this job. We have to learn this new boat in a quick fashion. It is great to have Adrian Stead with us to keep us honest with things we have learned from the last event.Terry Hutchinson, Quantum Racing

There are subtle things we can do to sail better, we are looking for a better height mode, and understanding the differences between the appendages in the Botin boats, there are three boats with a slightly different appendage than the two other boats. So there is that aspect, and then understanding how we go against the other boats.Terry Hutchinson, Quantum Racing

Considers Hutchinson:

It is a very different boat, very different. It is very impressive how much of a gain has been made.Terry Hutchinson, Quantum Racing

I love this challenge, but it is going to be hard. The other teams are very, very good. They are stacked with talent. And we are sailing in Azzurra’s home waters and we expect them to be on form. We know that, having beaten them here, that they don’t like it. They are hungry to win in their home waters.Terry Hutchinson, Quantum Racing

Veteran Postigo, who sailed for many years as navigator to Azzurra’s tactician Vasco Vascotto believes this can be Azzurra’s week:

I think Azzurra can do it and want to prove they can do well on their home waters. And if they don’t do it they know they hear the criticism here, directly from the club members. They are my favourites for the week and I hope to see Quantum Racing getting better here. In Valencia they were good but just inconsistent. I think Terry will help with that consistency. I have also been very impressed with Bronenosec and Alegre too, either of them could have a good week.Nacho Postigo, ESP, navigator Provezza

Quotes:

There is still very high pressure dominating the north of Europe what that means is that by the middle and towards the end of the week we are going to have SE’ly gradients which will come in at 15kts and how that will mix with the sea breeze effect, will it enhance or cancel the other is what we will wait to see. Sometimes what the heat does is help the wind aloft come down to the surface and it gets stronger. Some of the times it can conflict.
Tomorrow will be like today with a little bit of NW’ly flow, maybe fighting with the sea breeze. It was very tricky on the race track today. But this year we will start with two days of lighter winds but after that it will be very good.
This is just the best place in the world to do coastal races. The scenery is just fantastic, even if we don’t see it. But it is always very tricky to predict what the wind is going to do at the next corner, where the rocks are, and how close we can go. There are always a lot of questions and answers in Costa Smeralda. Sometimes it makes a real difference how close you can get to the rocks, especially when you are upwind or downwind and you can tack or gybe clear of them just because you can go another couple of boat lengths closer to the shore. That can make a big difference.
It is a lot of fun on the Provezza. Ergin Imre is projecting his great spirit on board and everyone is positive and punchy and looking forwards to the week. I think for us something like fifth, fourth….or even third….can be good for us. We just need to keep improving our starts. In this fleet the starts have to be more than perfect, good is not enough, we need one small click more. That is down to the bowman, Andy Beadsworth the helm, and myself the navigator. And we need to find a better range of upwind modes, our fast mode is good but the high mode is not so good. It seems like the other Vrolijk designs are the same. They are not so good to try to go very high on the wind but very good for normal VMG sailing. If you don’t have the very high mode you really have to protect your space to leeward on the start line and try not to line up against a Botin boat with a very high mode. So we are working on these things.
I think Azzurra want to prove they can do well on their home waters. And if they don’t do it they know they hear the criticism here, directly from the club members. They are my favourites for the week and I hope to see Quantum Racing getting better here. In Valencia they were good byt just inconsistent. I think Terry will help with that consistency. I have also been very impressed with Bronenosec and Alegre too, either of them could have a good week.Nacho Postigo, ESP, navigator Provezza

Doug is just two hours into sailing this boat and I am just eight hours into it. The fleet is more compressed and it is fun sailing the new boats. There is a lot to learn. And that is the fun part of this job. We have to learn this new boat in a quick fashion. It is great to have Adrian Stead with us to keep us honest with things we have learned from the last event.
There are subtle things we can do to sail better and have a better height mode, and understanding the differences between the appendages in the Botin boats, there are three boats with a slightly different appendage than the two other boats. So there is that aspect, and then understanding how we go against the other boats.
It is a very different boat, very different. It is very impressive how much of a gain has been made. Today was our base line day. Doug did really nice work. We had the unforced error on the start line which we did not to be, that was misguidedness on my part, and I am learning too.
I love this challenge, but it is going to be hard. The other teams are very, very good. They are stacked with talent. And we are sailing in Azzurra’s home waters and we expect them to be on form. We know that having beaten them here, that they don’t like it. They are hungry to win in their home waters.Terry Hutchinson (USA) tactician Quantum Racing (USA)

It is so lovely here. I have not driven the boat yet, and this is the first time I have seen it ‘live’ so having flat water makes it easier. But it felt fabulous to be racing again. The boat feels different, there is a little more pressure on the helm. The boats are just so lovely. They kind of find the right spot and then stay there. It is really nice.
We want to just get better. We are learning the boat. We looked at the last regatta and there are a few things we can do better, but I think every boat has that.
We were watching every day at home. I hope we can do better than Valencia or otherwise I am going to have to give the helm back to my son! We want to improve. There things we have found that we woulda, shoulda, coulda done bettere. We will make these moves and I am sure we will get better. But everyone has been doing the same things, I am sure.

I love it. I love it with all the new boats. I love the size of the fleet. We have such a nice mix of folks who have been doing it for a while, and some new folks who are just joining in this year. And there is room for more.Doug DeVos (USA) owner-helm Quantum Racing (USA)